Toy roundabout



J. MADALONI TOY ROUNDABOUT Sept. 21, 1954 Filed Sept. 22, 1952 5 7 .1 m m w W Maw a m m N m m m 11,451.... A W D F 5 5 m J Patented Sept. 21, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY ROUNDABOUT John Madaloni, Jamaica, N. Y. Application September 22, 1952, Serial No. 310,749

.3 Claims. 1

This invention relates :to amusement devices and more particularly to :an activated toy in the nature of a merry-go-round.

It is -a prim'aryobject of the present invention to provides toy of this kind :With-a revolving platform on which are mounted toy figures, with improved means foroperating the platform which :means :is simple in construction, readily installed and replaced and easy .to manipulate.

Another object of the invention is "to provide a toy of this kind having a revolving :platform with elastic means for rotating the platform,

which means includes a novel device for mount- -ing,-demounting andenergizing the elastic means.

A "specific-objector the invention is to provide a toy merry-'go round with a rubber band motor having bearing members tor detachably supporting the sends of the rubber band,'-;one of the bear- 'ing members serving as means .for energizing the rubber band. V

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a toy of this kind which is simple in construction and which can be manufactured at -a reasonable cost.

For *further comprehension of the invention I and :of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the rollowing description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended :claims in which the variousnovel features of the invention are *more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure; V l l -1 is a perspective view of a toy embodying one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional plane of the line 22 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of a fragment of the top late of the toy.

.Fig. 4 .is an enlarged side !elevational view of the elastic motor.

Fig. 5 is a similar view turned slightly.

Fig. :6 is a vertical sectional view taken through the elastic motor with :its enclosing tube in po- .si-tion. V p

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of a modification of the invention.

In Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, of the drawing, a toy made in accordance with the invention is shown, comprising a frame structure including a circular base plate It having a depending flange portion i l for mounting the toy on a supporting surface. A trio of uprightopposed posts [2 on the base plate support a flanged roof or top plate [3 at their upper ends. The base and top plates and the posts may be made of plastic or other suit- .view taken on the.

-.able material, and the posts may be either tubular or .solid.

The top plate i3 is formed with a central opening 14 having an enlarged portion [.5 therearound. The enlarged portion is formed with a roughened upper surface H. A tubular member 48 is suspended from the top plate and has ;a flange portion 19 at its top end adjacent the bottom surface .l 6rof the top plate it to permit the tubular memher to rotate freely. The tubular member extends downwardly to a point remote from the base plat-cleaving its bottom end free of the base plate. .A platform in the form of an annular member or ring 20 issecured to the tubular member adjacent its lower end by means of a cross- ;piece 2| having a central opening 22 through which the tubular member extends. The tubular member and the platform may be made of the same material :as the frame members. A number of toy figures. such as dolls 22.3, are securely seated on .the upper surface of the platform in any suitable manner.

The motor means for rotating the platform .20

includes .an elastic member, such as an endless rubherband 2 5 which is disposed inside the tubular member re and whichis detachably connected 1 the :upper end of the tubular. member l8, and another bearing member 25 is mounted with a forced fit in the bottom end of the tubular member order to provide a rigid connection between said members.

Thebearing members are substantially the same inconstruction andmay be made of plastic, wood or other suitable material. Each bearing membercomprises acylindrical body 26 having an extension 2? of reduced diameterforrnin'g a shoulder 28 on the body. The extension is formed with a transverse groove 29 in its outer surface at a point remote from the shoulder 28, said groove extending slightly more than I degrees around the extension. Grooves 30 are formed along opposite sides of the extension and intersect the transverse groove 29. The grooves 36 extend from the transverse groove along the extension to the outer end thereof. The transverse groove extends laterally a slight distance beyond each groove 3!} to form a notch 31 at each side of the extension. The body portion 25 of the top bearing member 25 extends above the topplate l3 and is provided with a transverse opening 32 for receiving an elongated handle 33 which projects on both sides thereof for turning the bearing member.

The rubber band 24 is in the form of an elongated endless 100p and one end thereof is seated in the transverse groove'29 of the top bearing 25, and the other end is seated in the transverse groove 29 of the bottom bearing member, the reaches of the rubber band extending along and through the side grooves 30 of the bearing members. In assembling the bearing members and rubber band, the notches 3| permit the band to readily seat in the transverse and longitudinal grooves.

In use, either the tubular member 18 or platform is held with one hand against movement while the handle 33 of the top bearing member is turned with the other hand in order to twist or wind up the rubber band 24. When the hand pressure is released, the rubber band unwinds and due to the rigid connection between the bottom bearing member and the tubular member It, said tubular member spins around carrying its platform and toy figures around with it, as will be understood.

The shoulder 28 of the top bearing member 25 may be serrated as indicated at 34 to engage the roughened surface I! of the enlarged portion l5 of the top plate I3 to prevent accidental turning of the top bearing member.

made longer than the handle 33 of Fig. 1, and is formed with a peripheral groove 36 adjacent each end thereof. A toy figure, such as an airplane 31, is suspended from the handle, at each end thereof, by a flexible member 38 positioned in the adjacent groove 36.

In using this form of the invention, the top bearing member 25 is preferably held stationary with one hand, and the tubular member l8 rotated by the handles so that the rubber band 24 is twisted and energized. When the hand pressure is released, the band will untwist and spin the top bearing member 25 with its toy figures around with it. Of course the rubber band could be twisted by holding the tubular member l8 stationary and by turning the top. bearing member 25. Furthermore, the handles 35 could support suspended toy figures, if desired, in which case the tubular member I8 would be permitted to spin.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a toy of the kind described, a frame including a base plate, upright posts on the base plate and a top plate supported on top of said posts, a tubular member rotatably suspended from the top plate, a platform carried by said tubular member, a cylindrical bearing member loosely mounted in one end of said tubular member, another cylindrical bearingv member closely fitted in the other end of said tubular member, an endless elongated looped rubber band having one end connected to said loosely mounted bearing member and having its other end connected to said other bearing member whereby turning of the loosely mounted bearing member twists the rubber band, and untwisting of said rubber band spins said tubular member, and toy figures on said platform.

2. In a, toy of the kind described, a frame including a base plate, upright posts on the base plate and a top plate supported on top of said posts, a tubular member rotatably suspended from the top plate, a platform carried by said tubular member, a cylindrical bearing member loosely mounted in one end of said tubular member, another cylindrical bearing member closely fitted in the other end of said tubular member, said bearing members having transverse and longitudinal grooves, and an endless elongated looped rubber band having one end in the trans verse and longitudinal grooves of the loosely fitted bearing member and having its other end in the transverse and longitudinal'grooves of the closely fitted bearing member for twisting said rubber band, and toy figures on said platform.

3. In a toy of the kind described, a frame including a base plate, upright posts on the base plate and a top plate supported on top of said posts, a tubular member rotatably suspended from the top plate, a platform carried by said tubular member, a cylindrical bearing member loosely mounted in one end of said tubular member, another cylindrical bearing member closely fitted in the other end of said tubular member, an endless elongated looped rubber band having one end connected to said loosely mounted bearing member and having its other end connected to said other bearing member whereby turning of the loosely mounted bearing member twists the rubber band, and untwisting of said rubber band spins said tubular member, and toy figures on said platform, said top plate having a roughened surface and serrations on said first men- 'tioned cylindrical bearing member adapted to engage said roughened surface to prevent accidental rotation.

References Cited in thefile ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 975,311 Allabough Nov. 8, 1910 1,467,216 Wiebe Sept. 4, 1923 7 1,584,060 White May 11, 1926 1,873,916 Allabough Aug. 23, 1932 1,928,154 I-Iojnowski Sept. 26, 1933 2,474,750 Moeller June 28, 1949 

